Often, when obtaining licenses or permits from government agencies, a business or individual will have to show proof of occupancy. It is known to provide utility bills as proof of occupancy; however, these documents cannot by themselves verify that the individual actually resides at the particular address or whether the business actually operates out of the address provided. This creates a security lapse and potential for fraud that may be exploited by criminals and the like. Nevertheless, due to time and monetary constraints, government agencies rarely send representatives into the field to verify the occupancy information provided. Therefore, what is needed is a cost effective method of verifying an individual or business occupies a specific address during a specific time frame to supplement the data already accepted.
Similarly, in the event of a natural disaster, insurance companies and government relief agencies require proof that an individual or business resided at a specific address affected by the disaster before relief is provided. Many times, the necessary documents to show proof of occupancy were destroyed due to the natural disaster or are otherwise not readily accessible. Therefore, what is needed is a system for providing proof of occupancy that is easily accessible.
In summary, a need exists for improved systems and methods to collect data associating a person with a residence or a business with a specific address during a specific time frame to address deficiencies in the current state of the art, some of which are identified above.